One Hit Wonder
by Carolinacullen2012
Summary: When you're Almost a Shooting Star, eventually over time, you turn into a One Hit Wonder. Follow Edward Cullen and his trials and tribulations as he finds the one woman who stole his heart. Can time bring the pair back together? Or were they a One Hit Wonder themselves?
1. Against the Wind

_**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement was intended.**_

_**Schedule … I don't have one. I write when inspiration takes me and fly by the seat of my pants. Sometimes, I get too busy with life and writer's block that I can't confirm a definite schedule of updates. Just please bear with me through this story and process to get my story out. And, always know that one way or another I will finish if it kills me! ~Thanks CC**_

_**Song for this chapter – Against the Wind by Bob Seger**_

_**Summary: When you're Almost a Shooting Star, eventually over time, you turn into a One Hit Wonder. Follow Edward Cullen and his trials and tribulations as he finds the one woman who stole his heart. Can time bring the pair back together? Or were they be a One Hit Wonder themselves?**_

_**Let's see what Edward Cullen has been doing since the last time we left him. **_

_**Thanks for dannibags for correcting my errors, and for being awesome. Piesmom for making sure that everything is good before it's début. And, a special thanks to dancewithme for the wonderful banner.**_

_Chapter 1_

_Against the Wind_

_EPOV_

It seems like yesterday, but it was so long ago … as the words play on the radio, I instantly think of my Izzy. She was so beautiful; she was the queen of my nights. She was with me during my darkness and brightest period of my life, as we played along the road. I often regretted being a part of the Midnight Riders, but there wasn't anything in this world that I would change because it brought me to Izzy.

Sometimes, if I close my eyes, I can still see her standing beside Bertha as the wind blows through her long brown hair. I miss those days and often wish I could catch a glimpse of her, just once more in this lifetime.

We had shared our deepest secrets with one another, and somewhere during our time together, she moved something inside of me forever. I was too stupid to realize what I had until she was gone. We burned like wildfire burning out of control, but then there wasn't anything left to burn and nothing left to do.

Looking back on the first time she stood in my room, I remember what she said to me; how she swore I would break her heart. She had been right all along, but what she didn't know was when I did that, I would also break mine in the process. At the time, I didn't see it that way because I thought she would be with me forever, but I never counted my stupid ways and Kate. I spent half my life wishing that Kate would have never came to New York and wishing I could take back trying to ship them off. God, I can remember how she held me … oh so tight; wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then.

The years have rolled slowly past, and I've found myself alone. My parents did all they can to help me work through my issues, but it wasn't the easy life I was used to during my heyday.

Kate and I divorced right after my solo career started. I'd heard it from my mother that not to long after the ink dried on our divorce, she married Garrett. I wasn't able to locate Jasper, and never heard from him. Mike moved to San Francisco, never heard anything more about him either. Emmett was married and moved somewhere with Rose. I can't remember where I heard they ended up. And Jake … he was a big time writer for Rolling Stones. I guess riding around with the band really paid off for him.

It turned out everyone I thought were my friends were actually strangers in the end. When I needed them the most, no one cared or even bothered to check on me while I was in rehab. And, I found myself pulling further and further from home. I didn't care for living in Forks anymore. It seemed every time I was there, I would run into Kate and her son, Ethan, or Garrett. Seeing the both of them turned my stomach thinking of the time I wasted. I didn't want to live anywhere around those two ever again.

I'd lost my way so long ago, and worked through rehab. After my first stent in rehab, it took a year before I fell off the wagon. It was the weekend of Emmett and Rose's wedding, and one of the last connections I had to the band. Their wedding was the reason I lapsed the first time. I blamed it on the injury from falling off the stage, but the truth was I met a girl at the wedding. Who was warm and willing, and also provided me with the things I silently yearned for everyday of my life.

When I almost died at Jake's … believe it or not, I fell off the wagon once more after that incident. There were so many roads to go down, temptations everywhere, and being alone didn't help my mind when the temptations came calling.

At one point in my life, I lived to be in a band, and was a singer to live. I never worried about paying or even how much I owed to anyone. When my life finally spiraled out of control, it was refreshing to not be moving eight miles a minute for months at a time. I had broken all the rules and searched for Izzy again and again. But, every search always turned up empty. At the age of forty-six, I had pretty much given up on finding her. _What were the odds that she wasn't married with a couple of kids by now?_

After my third stay in rehab, I finally gave up those drifter days of looking for ways to make me feel like someone. Now, I have too much to think about. I had too many deadlines and commitments driving me against the wind.

There were only two people from my time with Midnight Riders that made a reappearance in my life, Jasper and Alice, aka Tink. When he found me, I was barely surviving in my sobriety. It didn't take long for me to blow through what little money came in from all my solo royalties when I abused drugs. So being the entertainment on a cruise ship took me from temptation. I had strict rules in place for myself. I never got off the ship unless my tour was over, and I never socialized with others or anyone who I thought could be involved with drugs. I limited my rehearsal times, and didn't offer much to anyone. And if I was having a rather difficult day, I locked myself away in my stateroom until show time.

Jasper found me while on his honeymoon. I was passing the bar after my performance, in the lounge on the Caribbean Cruise ship from Florida to Cancun, when I heard someone call my name.

"Edward Cullen," he shouted above the noise in the busy lounge. I turned to see who was talking to me since aboard the ship I used the stage name Tony Masen.

"I'll be damned, look Alice," Jasper said, walking towards me and hollering over his shoulder at a dark haired woman. She spun around with a look of shock on her face, and then it cooled. Apparently, she still wasn't over the whole Izzy thing. She nodded, but never stepped over to us.

I clasped Jasper's hand and asked him to have a drink with me. He ordered a beer and I ordered Coke. Alcohol was something else I had given up along the journey of my life and a way to guarantee my sobriety. Every day I had to decide if I want the drugs or a career.

He talked about where he went after he left the tour, and how moving back to Seattle was the best thing for him. He went with a no name label and helped to get bands on the road. He asked about me and what I was doing and of course, I pointed towards the stage. Telling him about my latest gig here on the cruise ship, it wasn't glamorous, but it paid the bills. It also got me out of LA and Forks. I could have moved to New York or Vegas; somewhere were the music industry was really booming, but I knew the temptation would be there.

It was then that Jasper asked about my writing ability, which had been lacking back in the day. But, now I mostly used the memories of Izzy to craft my songs. Hell, the whole show on the cruise where all originals I had written either about her or for her. The only song that had ever really made it anywhere was 'Gypsy Woman.' It went Gold, but it was the only one. I had an album that went straight to number one on the billboard charts, but it was blown off the following week when the King of Pop released his latest song. To say the least, I was what everyone called a 'One Hit Wonder'.

Jasper and I chatted until his drink was gone, and I couldn't in good conscious keep him from his bride during their honeymoon. So, I left the bar, leaving Jasper to be with his new bride.

After my show, Jasper handed me his business card, and asked that the next time I was in Seattle to look him up. I told him I would, but I really wasn't interested in getting that close to Forks. It wasn't until my contract was up with Caribbean, that I had no other choice. I hesitated for months on end and when I couldn't wait any longer, I called Jasper.

I was older now, but still running against the wind.

~AASS~

1995

During my stent in rehab, I taught myself how to play piano by ear. Trust me, I had lots of time on my hands. I also learned how to write and read music. I explained those things to Jasper, hoping there was something he could find for me to do. Jasper was the head of Artist Development. I quickly told him I never wanted to be in the spotlight ever again. He agreed especially with my addiction history. He handed me a cereal box and a picture of the character.

"What the hell is this?" I asked, looking at the box in my hands.

"This is your trail run …" he said smirking at me "… Here's the thing Edward … you don't want to be in the spotlight, and I can understand that. However, if you are truly interested in doing something in the music industry, you are going to have to write me a catchy jingle for this cereal."

I looked at the cereal box, trying to figure out some way to make this work. This was the last thing I had going for me. Of course, I could go to Vegas, but the prospects didn't sound all that good.

"You have two weeks to get me something. General Malt is a big food chain and if we could get this contract, Isa …" he stopped, when my head shot up at the last syllables he said.

"Mrs. Wolfe would be most pleased if we could get this account and be able to produce all of their jingles for them. Plus, she wants to pick up a couple of contracts for movies."

I nodded.

"Here's your moment to finally shine as an artist, writer, and reformed person, Edward," he said.

I left that day with the box of chocolate cereal determined to impress both Jasper and Ms. Wolfe.

The first day with my new cereal was the worst. I didn't have a piano in my small apartment, and every time I started to strum my guitar, the neighbors would scream through the walls. Staring at the box for hours, without being able to put words or notes to anything I come up with, was infuriating. I was struggling to come up with words that weren't wrapped around the image of Izzy in some way.

Not being able to use my apartment and not having the money to move, I walked the streets of Seattle, looking for any lounge or establishment with a piano. Something … anything to get me started. I walked into the Fairmont on Fifth Ave, praying they had a lounge. Heading back to the bar off the main entrance, I was in luck. Not only did they have a lounge with a piano, there was no one playing. I sauntered over to the bartender, flashing her my crooked smile, I asked if she would allow me to tinkle her ivory keys for a while. She blushed; it really was a cheesy line, but it worked. For several hours, I worked on getting the notes and sound right and tried different words that would work.

I thanked the bartender when she closed that night. She had given me her number, and asked me to come back to her place. I turned her down as smoothly as possible, hoping she would give me another day to work on the piano in her lounge. With my sheet music tucked under my arm, I thanked her and headed home. In life, I had learned the hard way, I thought as I walked down the street home. My heart and soul belonged to Izzy, wherever she was in the world, but not only that … I needed to be clean and sober for this job. That was one of Jasper's requirements, and I didn't know the bartender well enough to guarantee I wouldn't be tempted in some way.

Every day, I visited the lounge and every day, I entertained some of the patrons with songs. The manager of the Fairmont asked if I would mind playing there every night. I quickly accepted his offer. When the lounge was empty, it allotted me the time to work on things for Jasper. And when the lounge was full, I played songs for patrons and earned some spare change.

~AASS~

2003

After my first cereal jingle, both Jasper and his boss, Mrs. Wolfe, were impress. I never got to meet her, but knew she was the Senior VP of the company. She would always send a glowing message through Jasper about my work and encouraging words that helped me while writing. To say the least, working for Howling Wolf Record Label was always interesting. I composed songs for artists and movies, and worked on jingles for commercials; it was fulfilling. I was free to write what I wanted and basically worked from home. I no longer needed the lounge, having purchased my own piano and a home that didn't have neighbors screaming at me to keep it down. It was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing while working on my writing, but a curse when I had nothing to work on and was trapped in the walls of my house alone.

During those times alone was when I thought of Izzy the most, but the downfall to being alone and thinking was the thought of drugs. I often pondered using them to ease the boredom and fill the void in my soul. The only way I worked around that was the lounge. Even though I had my own at home, I would go to the lounge every night and play for the guests there. Some nights it helped to keep my idle hands and my mind busy.

It was a typical Tuesday night at the lounge. I had stepped outside to smoke. It was the only vice I hadn't been able to successfully give up, yet. Actually, I didn't have any plans of quitting anytime soon. I stubbed out my cigarette and walked back inside. Tuesday nights at the lounge were usually slow, and I didn't do much other than hang out at the bar and talk to Ben. I took up my usual stool and motioned Ben to get me a coke just as a guest walked up to the bar.

"Scotch on the rocks," the young boy asked. He didn't look a day over seventeen, but it wasn't my place to meddle. Ben was a good bartender and he would check to make sure everything was okay. I turned back to my own drink and focused on writing down a couple of notes and words for my latest project.

The young boy checked out age wise and sat quietly sipping his scotch beside me. I didn't pay many people attention unless they specifically asked for me to play something. So I wasn't giving the fellow beside me much of my attention as I thought and wrote down notes.

"Is the piano player here tonight?" the young fellow asked Ben as he wiped down the bar.

I look up at Ben and watched as he jerked his head my direction. I looked over to the young boy, and really looked this time. There was something about him that looked oddly familiar, but I passed it off as nothing.

"I play the piano here. Is there something you would like to hear?" I asked. It threw me a little that the young gentleman would be requesting a song. Usually the young adults who shuffled through here left as quickly as they came, not finding the music I played all that fulfilling.

The young lad was rather confusing; he shook his head and gulped down his scotch. I turned back to my work, but heard him inhale deeply, only to blow it out seconds later. I looked over at him again to make sure he was all right.

"Hey man, are you okay?" I asked. Maybe the fellow needed to talk or something. But I thought that was in the job description for Ben; God knows I had shared things that bothered me from time to time.

"Uhm, are you Edward Cullen?" he asked, worrying his lower lip with his teeth.

"Yeah," I replied a little perplexed that this boy would know my name.

_**A/N: So, the first chapter of OHW … well, what do you think? Do you have any ideas of anything yet … who do you think Edward is talking to at the end? As always, don't forget to follow and … leave some love.**_


	2. I Found Someone

_**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement was intended.**_

_**Song for this chapter – I Found Someone by Cher **_

_**Timeframe … one of my reviews wanted to know the time frame on the characters. So, here it is … **_

_**Bella Swan/Izzy Swain**__** is seventeen when she meets Edward. **__**When**__** she leaves New York in AASS, it's at the end of 1981; she is still seventeen. She had Gib three days before she **__**turned**__** eighteen. Bella is now thirty-nine.**_

_**Gibson Patrick Swan**__** is born on September 11, 1982. As this story progresses, he is twenty-two.**_

_**Edward Cullen**__** is eighteen when he leaves home in AASS**__** and t**__**wenty-four when he meets Izzy. When Izzy leaves in AASS**__**, **__**he is still twenty-four. Currently now in this story**__**, **__**he is forty-six. Edward's rock bottom in AASS is about 1986**__**,**__** the year after Bella sees him in concert. Edward starts at Howling Wolfe Records about 1995, where he is currently still employed. **_

_**Yes, the couple has been apart for twenty-one years … I know **__**it's a**__** really long time, but what if you were so wrapped up in your issues that fate never allowed a reunion**__**?**_

_**I hope that answers the timeframe questions … if you have any more, please don't hesitate to ask. ;)**_

_**Let's find out what has happened during Bella's, aka Izzy's, life since the last time we heard from her.**_

_**Thanks for dannibags for correcting my errors, and for being awesome. Piesmom for making sure that everything is good before **__**it's**__** début.**_

_Chapter 2_

_I Found Someone_

_BPOV_

Ever have those moments in life that you wish you could turn back time? And if you were ever given the chance, you would change the things that were done? I've had those moments all my life. However, there are things about my life that I would never change, and one of those is Gib.

In a lot of ways, Gib saved me from my own life. I did everything for him. I worked every day to be the mother I never had, and a mother I knew he would be proud of one day. It wasn't an easy road, but Charlie, Sue, and Leah helped me along the way. And, I will forever be grateful for their help.

~1986~

When I heard about Howling Wolfe Records opening up their label to interns during my last year of school, I jumped on the opportunity. It paid off in lots of ways; some not so good and others utterly amazing. I worked in all different areas of the label trying them all out. Marketing and Sales were more my areas of specialty. However, I found that the A&R Department suited me better. Paul Wolfe was the assistant in A&R at the time and the son of Joe Wolfe the CEO of the label. To say the least, Paul had pull in the company, and what he wanted, he always got.

It was during this time that Jasper and Alice breezed back into my life. I was walking through the lounge one day and overheard his voice. I stopped dead in my tracks, wondering if he was here with Edward. I hadn't heard anything about Edward in years. After the concert Leah and I attended, he kind of dropped off the face of the Earth so to speak. So when I heard his voice, my whole body went on alert. I placed my back against the wall and peered around the corner to have a look. I could feel the panic running through my whole body. But, when I finally got my eyes on Jasper, I breathed a sigh of relief. Edward wasn't around, but with it also came disappointment; he wasn't with him. Jasper noticed me right away. I wasn't that stealth anyway.

"Izzy?" he asked, walking around the corner to confront me.

"Hi," I said, once his eyes finally landed on me.

"Get over here girl," Jasper said, opening his arms to me. I couldn't resist. There was always something about him that radiated calm and ease. I slid into his arms, hugging him with everything in me. I held back the tears as the memories of my time with the Midnight Riders washed over me. For just a brief moment, it was if I could close my eyes and be right back there with all my friends.

"So, how have you been?" I asked as I pulled away from the hug.

"Good, well better now. I was just hired as an Artist Manager here, and I am hoping that soon, I will have a couple of bands to boss around." He chuckled. Jasper was rather bossy, but only when he needed to be and only when it counted.

"I would love to catch up with you …" he said motioning back to Rick, who was the human resources fellow around here "… I still have paperwork to fill out and finish a tour of the office. How about we have dinner tomorrow night at Spencer's?"

Spencer's was a nice restaurant down on Third Street; it was close to the record label and a mile from my apartment.

"I would love to," I replied. We planned to meet at seven and have dinner. I walked away from Jasper wondering if Alice and he were still together. But there was another problem; what would I do with Gib? Or better yet, what was I going to say to Jasper about him? I remembered that Jasper had a child, and I didn't know if he would be comfortable knowing that I had never told Edward about being pregnant. I couldn't justify my reasons to him, but would everyone understand or would they think I was a heartless shrew?

Leah watched Gib for me while I went to dinner with Jasper. I was a little nervous about what was going to be said or even if I should let him know about my son, but I wasn't going to lie about having Gib. It was bad enough there would be a good chance that Jasper would learn from the gossiping secretaries at the label. However, I wanted to be the first to tell him.

I stood outside Spencer's waiting on him. It wasn't long before I noticed him and Alice. It was hard to hold back the tears as they rolled down my face. I had missed her. She ran right up to me and pulled me into her arms. There were no words exchanged between the both of us, only tears and sobs. It had been entirely too long.

"God, I've missed you," she sighed into my shoulder.

"I've missed you too," I replied.

When we pulled away from one another, Alice looked me up and down. I knew she would instantly notice the differences in my body. Gib had done fantastic things to both my breasts and ass, and I didn't hide them.

"Look at you," Alice said smiling and pulling my arms out in front of me. "Girl, you filled out in all the right places."

I giggled. "Yeah, it would seem so. God, Alice you haven't changed one bit."

Jasper walked over to us and pulled me into a hug and ushered us into the restaurant. It wasn't long before we were seated and our orders were placed. We chatted about their lives since the last time I had seen them in New York. It hadn't seemed like four years since I had seen them, but it had been. Alice was still traveling with bands, especially being that Jasper still worked with Aro until a couple of months ago when he was fired by Caius.

When the food arrived, the pair still talked about their latest adventures on the road with different groups and how the music scene seemed to be always evolving. Jasper didn't particularly care for the new glam metal era, but accepted the ever growing ideas.

About midway through our meal, we all started reminiscing about our time with the Midnight Riders. I was a little apprehensive about this subject, but knew it would be impossible to avoid.

"So, Emmett and Rose are getting married this coming June. You have to come with us to the wedding. I will tell her to send you an invitation," Alice stated.

"Wow, they're still together! Don't worry about it, Alice. If she doesn't have enough room, don't worry about it," I replied.

"Mike moved to San Francisco; doing well on his own or so we heard." I nodded nervously, knowing there was a good chance they would mention Edward. There was a long pause in our conversation. I looked up and watched as Alice and Jasper seemed to silently be having a conversation with their eyes. Apparently, I wasn't the only one keeping secrets.

"Garrett's still trying to make it big even though he has a son now," Jasper said, looking sternly at Alice. I didn't know what the big deal was with Garrett having a child. It wasn't information that really shocked me; hell, Edward had a child and he didn't even know it.

I could just barely make out the words Alice whispered, "She should know the truth." I acted like I hadn't heard their silent conversation, but noticed Jasper shaking his head back and forth. Yep, they were hiding something. Alice looked over at me with sad eyes, but didn't mention anymore about the band.

Looking for a way to escape the conversation further, I bid both of them goodbye and never mentioned Gib. I quickly decided that I would tell them soon, but not until I knew if they still talked to Edward. It wasn't that I wanted to keep Gib from them really, but I wasn't sure about them either.

I didn't see Jasper much around the office. In fact, a couple of days after his visit, I learned he was back out on tour with one of our main acts. So, I didn't have to worry too much about the gossip in the office outing me. I knew enough from our conversation at dinner to know that Alice followed him everywhere and wouldn't have to worry about running into Alice while Gib was with me. I really didn't have time to think about everything and focused back on my studies and working toward providing a good life for him.

~1987~

The invitation for Emmett and Rose's wedding arrived the following spring, giving me three months to find a suitable date. I wasn't showing up without someone, just in the event Edward was in attendance. I knew he would have at least Kate on his arm if not someone else. It wasn't like he had ever been faithful during their marriage and I figured he hadn't changed much.

I was quickly running out of options when it came to dates for the wedding. It seemed everyone I dated usually ran before I could even ask them about being my plus one. However, it was my own fault because when it came to my personal life, I laid everything out on the table on the first date. I would tell them about my life on the road with Midnight Riders and that I had a child. Majority of men headed for the hills screaming, not wanting to take on a ready made family. I understood, and that is the reason I wanted to weed them out early. I wasn't about to go into a life with them hiding who or what I had one time been. Some guys, when they learned about my past, automatically assumed I was a groupie and slept with multiple musicians, but that was the furthest thing from the truth. However, they deemed me a slut and tried to get into my pants. I didn't allow this. I knew what love was and had been fickle while with the 'Love Bands', something that hadn't changed. And, I wasn't going to drag someone to a wedding and run the risk of them spouting off their mouth about me to the wrong person. Hell, I almost decided to just take Leah instead.

It was a week before the wedding and I still hadn't found a date when Paul asked me to join him at a bar downtown to go see another band he was interested in signing. Paul always loved to see the talent first hand and would attend gigs for anyone the label was perusing. I often accompanied him when Leah was available to watch Gib.

During the break, I explained to Paul my wedding date dilemma and how the father of my son could potentially be there. I hadn't planned on telling him this, but the beer that I had consumed earlier loosened my tongue up more than I wished. I told Paul everything that night … the 'Love Bands' being on the road, everything, even the heartache of losing the man I loved.

He never thought I was stupid for being a 'Love Band' and he didn't assume that I was some big slut groupie either. Hell, he actually thought it was pretty cool to go on the road with a band. When I explained our reasons for following the band, he totally understood. By the end of the night, I was utterly shocked that he hadn't run from my past or me.

When he dropped me off at my apartment, he grabbed my hand, sliding his fingers through mine.

"Bella, you don't have to go to that wedding, you know," he said, looking right into my eyes. Paul had the deepest brown eyes and I guess I could fall in love with them, but they weren't the greens I yearned for.

"I know, but I also want to see Rosalie. It's been so long. She was one of my best friends," I sighed. Not going had also been an option, but I really wanted to be there and see her.

"I'll go with you."

"You would do that for me," I said, excited to finally have someone willing to go and someone I knew I could trust.

"Absolutely, I would do anything for you," he said as his thumb continued rubbing circles on my palm of our still joined hands. "Just call it a favor of sorts and one day I might need you to return that favor."

"Thank you so much! I will, anything you want," I replied, pulling him closer to my body and giving him the biggest hug I could between the console of the car.

The day of the wedding, I was a nervous wreck. Leah kept trying to calm me down, but nothing could. Even when Paul came to the front door and met Gib for the first time, I was a wreck. I was nervous about Paul meeting him, and afraid he would back out of taking me to the wedding.

Gib was having one of his days and had messed up the kitchen, living room, and my bedroom in the process of me trying to get ready. There were toys from one end of the house to the other, and food lining the table. My hair was still in curlers and I didn't even have my makeup on. I motioned Paul in and told him to have a seat on our couch while I finished getting ready.

I wanted to look my best and wanted everything to be perfect, just like the night I saw Edward in concert. I kept trying to tell myself that there was still a chance he wouldn't even be there, but I wasn't about to go looking like crap. It was hard enough on a regular basis to get out of the house without Gib rubbing something on my clothes before I left. _The life of having kids! I thought_. As I looked myself over in the mirror, I knew there was no way I would arrive on time.

Stepping out into the living room, Paul was playing with Gib. I had heard his giggling, but assumed that Leah was occupying his time. Men didn't seem to get along with Gib if they made it passed the front door. However, Paul looked like he was having fun listening as Gib recited 'I'm a little Teapot', a song he had learned in day care. I leaned against the door frame and watched the two men interact; this had always been what I would have wanted out of Edward. Paul would start singing the song with Gib, but Gib would stop him.

"Don't sing," Gib said stopping and waiting for Paul to quit. Once Paul would stop, Gib would start all over. I smiled. Gib always wanted to be the center of attention; something both Edward and I never wanted, but somehow Gib yearned for this type of praise.

When Gib would finish the song, Paul would clap and tell him how wonderful he had done.

"Again," Gib said, starting the nursery rhyme over.

"Enough for today," I said, walking fully into the living room.

"Pwweees," Gib pouted.

"One more time," he said.

"One more," I said, giving him his way. As he began again, I grabbed the small purse I had for this dress and placed the few items I would need inside. I knew that everything would basically be free for the wedding, but I needed my ID and a little money just in case.

When Gib was finished, I kissed him, telling him how much I loved him and to be good for Leah. Paul stood and placed his hand at the base of my back and ushered me out of my apartment and down to his car. He was even a gentleman and opened the door for me to get in. It was all unnecessary, but nice to be treated that way. Once he rounded the car and slid into the driver's seat, he grabbed my hand and brought it up to his lips.

"You look beautiful," he said.

"Thank you," I whispered. All of his attention was more than I bargained for, and I assumed that maybe some of his actions were because of the nerves he knew I was suffering with. In all honesty, I didn't know what to think or do about him. I liked him as the son of my boss and as a friend, but I didn't know how I felt about the new found attention he was paying me. However, I didn't have time to think about it because I was still nervous about what was going to happen at the wedding.

It took us two hours to get to the town where Rose and Emmett decided to get married. Then another thirty minutes to locate the church on the outskirts of town. I exited the car without allowing Paul to open my door. I wasn't in a hurry per se; I just didn't want to cause a scene by entering the ceremony late. But when I pushed opened the doors and stepped into the foyer, I could hear the wedding march ending. I took a deep breath and gently pushed open one of the double doors leading into the sanctuary. Paul stepped up behind me and placed his hand on the small of my back. Knowing he was behind me gave me the push I needed to slid in.

The church that Rose selected had these big columns running on both sides of the room allowing me to step behind one. My whole body was hidden by the columns and I used this to scan the congregation. I searched the first section of pews, not finding anything of interest. However, I did notice the heads of both Jasper and Alice in attendance. Feeling my nerves dissipate some thinking Edward wasn't in the room, I took in a calming breath. Just as I started to walk out from behind the column, I noticed crazy bronze hair, on the third row from the front, causing my heart to pound out of my chest. There was only one person I could assume had that hair and I didn't want him to see me, yet.

Paul tapped on my shoulder and pointed to a seat on the end with a huge flower arrangement. I nodded letting him know that I would be willing to sit there, but when he insisted I go in first, I shook my head at him and shoved him in first. I had already decided to use the plants as a way to hopefully conceal my identity and moved them into the pew with me. It was a terribly tight squeeze, but I sat half hiding behind the giant plants and peeking out the side.

When the ceremony was over and the preacher announced Mr. and Mrs. McCarty, I tried to push the plant out of my way, knowing I would have to move before the remaining congregation followed behind the married couple. In the process of trying to move the blasted plant, I pushed so hard that I fell over it, landing on the floor along the wall. The couple in front of us looked over their shoulder and down at me, but I didn't move; deciding I would just lay there until the church cleared out. I don't know why I thought that was the best solution. It only took a couple of minutes before people realized they could clear out of the sanctuary on that side to make me move. I looked over at Paul with panic in my eyes. Paul didn't hesitate and pulled me toward him and back onto the bench, where he hugged me to him, shielding me from anyone's view.

"He's here, isn't he?" he whispered into the side of my neck. I didn't answer, only nodding my head. I quickly laid my head down on his shoulder, facing the back wall of the sanctuary.

"Which one?" he asked.

"Bronze hair, third row," I whispered.

Paul nodded his head and pulled me closer. I quickly assumed that Edward was getting closer to where we were both located. When he finally loosened his grip on me, I saw the back of the bronze haired mystery man. I knew the coast was clear. With my suspicions confirmed, I didn't know how I was going to be able to congratulate the happy couple. I stayed in the sanctuary refusing to move until all the noise travelled outside the building.

"How am I going to do this?" I asked.

"I don't know," Paul replied, running his hand through his hair.

We both sat there in silence as the noise started to fade. I knew that the reception was taking place at a hotel down the road, but still sat there wondering how I could avoid Edward Cullen.

"I could sit outside in the car and wait to see him leave," I said, looking over at Paul for input.

"I don't know how the reception area will be arranged so hiding behind columns or flowers might not be an option." He chuckled and I smacked his leg.

"So not funny," I complained.

"We'll figure this out," he said, grabbing my hand and leading me out to his car.

On the way to the reception, Paul and I devised a plan. Being that no one knew who he was, he was going to slip into the reception and get Alice. She would be the only one besides Rose who would understand my reasons for not being around Edward. Once Alice pulled Rose and Emmett to the side, Paul would come and get me, finding the best place to meet without the observing eyes of others and without alerting Edward of my presence.

We pulled into the hotel where the reception was being held and Paul slipped inside the doors. It seemed like it took forever. I changed the radio, not finding a decent song to listen to, which was shocking to me. I never had a problem finding something I liked on the radio. I checked my reflection in the mirror and fiddled with the hem of my dress, watching the front doors of the hotel for any sign of Paul or Alice. But, I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Edward. I swallowed the lump in my throat and scooted down in the seat so he wouldn't see me.

I watched as he walked out of the hotel and practical mauled the girl he was with. He wouldn't stop pawing at a dark haired beauty and even shoved her up against the side of the building. I couldn't take it anymore and reached down to the seat adjustments and lowered the chair. I couldn't watch anymore and I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

I don't know how long I laid there in the passenger seat curled in on myself. It still hurt, even though it shouldn't. Paul tapped on the window, scaring the shit out of me. When I turned to look at him, he jerked the car door open.

"Are you okay?" he asked, using his thumb to wipe away the tears.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Do you see him?" I asked. I knew Paul was here to get me so I could see Rose, but I didn't want to risk running into Edward and his girlfriend or whatever the hell she was to him. Paul stood tall and looked around the parking lot making sure the coast was clear.

"He's not out here. Did you see him?" he asked, taking my hand and rubbing my palm, helping to calm me down.

"Yeah."

"Well, he's gone now. Let's get this over with so we can go. I don't think it's good for you to put yourself through all of this," he said, pulling me out of the car.

Paul pulled me through the parking lot and into the hotel, slipping down a narrow hall, and into a meeting hall. There in the middle stood Alice, Rose, and Emmett. Emmett quickly scooped me up in a big hug, talking about how wonderful I looked, and how I had grown up since the last time he saw me. Once he placed me back on my feet, Rose wrapped her arms around me. My tears continued to fall; I didn't realize how much I really missed them until that very moment. I congratulated them and exchanged information so we could keep in touch. They planned on moving to Tennessee to be closer to Emmett's family and the odds of me being able to visit would be slim. I didn't tell anyone about Gib and even if I ever had the money to visit, I couldn't do it until they knew about him, which wasn't even possible.

~1988~

One year after seeing Edward at Emmett and Rose's wedding, I graduated from Peninsula Community College with a degree in Business Management. Both Charlie and Sue were proud of me for making it through, and Gib well, he couldn't stop playing with my cap. It was a proud moment for me.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my degree and where I wanted to be in life. So, I stayed in Seattle and around the new movement blowing through this town. It would better provide the opportunity I needed. Charlie, at first, hated the idea of me getting into the music industry. He was afraid that the men in the industry would make life harder for me, but it was a passion of mine from years ago. My love of music was the driving force behind me becoming a 'Love Band' all those years ago, and now would be the driving force toward a new career.

Howling Wolfe Records didn't miss a beat and as soon as the ink dried on my diploma, they were already knocking at my door. As my career skyrocketed and picked up, so did my personal life. I was up against men in my field and they didn't think I could do anything other than type. I blew them all out of the fucking water. The ones I didn't piss off asked me out, and the ones I pissed off only bitched harder about me. I didn't take anyone's shit and that was something I had learned the hard way. When I first started my internship at Wolfe, people would always judge me because I was a single mother and a woman. They thought that because of those reasons, they could run all over me. Some would say I was a royal bitch, but I didn't see it that way … I was determined.

Paul and I didn't start dating right away after the wedding and for that I was thankful. I needed time to process once again why I was so hung up on a man who never really cared for me in the first place. Over time, I finally gave into the fact that Paul was the only one hanging around. We started dating and everything was just…easy. He loved Gib and gave him attention. He told me he loved me and wanted to build a life with Gib and me, but I never would accept his proposal of marriage. Nothing good could come from being married, Renee and Charlie hadn't worked. Hell, Edward and Kate were a disaster; he cheated on her all the time. And, I couldn't think of a good enough reason to get married. All marriages seemed to be doomed from the beginning.

Paul and I instantly clicked and had a strong love for music and finding the best talent around. Mr. Wolfe, Joe as he wanted me to call him, hired me to scout out new talent in the area. I was still limited to working around Seattle, but that didn't matter to me. However, I did work under Paul. Working with him was sometimes challenging, but he never acted out of line while at work. He actually took me under his wing and showed me the ropes of what needed to be done. In those first couple of years together, he and I watched bands like Serenity and Perfect Rose bring in the era of grunge to the mainstream. And when the timing was right, we signed them to Howling Wolfe, landing us both with major promotions. And a major transition in our relationship.

_**A/N: Okay … I have more to tell you about Izzy, but I wanted to keep my chapters about 3-5k long. So, does anyone have any ideas as to who Serenity and Perfect Rose could be from the Seattle area? During the late 80s early 90s in music? The next chapter we will finish were Izzy is and how her life is going now.**_


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